Envelope opener



Jan. 21, 1964 E. w. ADAMS 3,118,228

ENVELOPE OPENER Filed Sept. 18, 1961 f /2 IN VEN TOR. ,4 EL 0 W AMS 13BY if 7 H/S A T TO/PNEVS 3,118,228 ENVELOPE OPENER Eldon W. Adams, 1082Cameo Drive, Campbell, Calif. Filed Sept. 18, 1951, Ser. No. 138,864Claims. (til. 30-294) This invention relates to envelope openers andmore particularly to a device for cutting one edge of an envelope passedtherethrough.

It is one object of this invention to provide a letter opening devicewhich is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and highlyefficient in use.

It is another object to provide an envelope opener adapted to be held inthe palm of one hand while an envelope is guided therethrough with theother hand to cut a slit along one edge of such envelope.

Another object is to provide an envelope opener having a blade disposedin a guideway along which one edge may be aided for cutting a slit insuch envelope. In this connection it is a further object to provide insuch an envelope opener a feature tending to maintain the envelope inthe guideway to facilitate a uniform cut parallel to the edge of theenvelope so guided. It is still another object to provide such a devicewith a yieldable blade pressured to make a minimum slit in such anenvelope.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from a reading of the following description in the lightor" the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side View of an envelope opener embodying the presentinvention and partially broken away for the purpose of illustrating thesame.

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1 as seen from the rignt side of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective View of the of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of FIG. 1 taken along line 4-4thereof and at slightly enlarged scale with respect thereto.

As best seen in FIG. 1 the device it? comprises a block type body 11which may be made of wood, plastic or any other suitable material. Thebody 11 is so formed and proportioned as to fit into the palm or grip ofa human hand leaving the other hand free to maneuver and/or manipulatean envelope relative to the device 3% in a manner later to be explained.

The block 11 is provided with a kerf-like groove 12 so dii .ensioned asto receive one edge e of an envelope E as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.The groove 12 is of a width sutficient to receive a double thickness ofpaper such as would be presented by the flap f and back 12 of aconventional letter sized'envelope E. As will be observed in FIG. 4 thewidth of the groove 12 is such as to receive double thicknesses of evenheavier paper such as would be used in manila envelopes.

The groove 12 formed in the body 11 presents a flat side surface 13 uponwhich one side of the envelope can rest and a tlat base end surface 14-against which the folded edge e of the envelope E can bear. In thismanner the groove 12 in the block body 11 provides a guideway forreceiving and guiding an envelope in fiat, parallel relation to the side(13) and base (14) surfaces formed in the block body Ill.

Within the block body 11 is a spring urged blade 15 so disposed as tohave one end of its cutting edge extended into the guideway groove 12.More specifically, the block body is recessed as at 16 to provide achamber for the blade 15. The bottom of the recess 15 is a flat surface17 disposed on a plane common to the flat base surface 14 of theguideway groove 12. The recess 16 is olfset slightly from the guidewaygroove envelope opener States Patent 0 3,ll8,228 Patented Jan. .21,1964- 12 by a relatively narrow partition 18 so as to provide acontinuous upper surface 19 to the groove through which an envelope isguided. However, the groove 12 communicates with the recess or chant er16 via a passage 28 through which one end 21 of the blade 15 can extend.The back face or wall 22 of passage 29 is on the same plane as the basesurface 14 of the groove 12 as well as the bottom fiat surface 17 of therecess chamber 16. Thus all surfaces 14, 17 and 22 provide a commonsurface 23 against which the blade 15 can lie.

The blade 15 is mounted for pivotal movement on a pin in the form of aheaded wood screw 24 which extends through a bore in the blade. Thepivot pin or screw 24 is disposed a greater distance from the end 21 ofthe blade than it is from the base surface 13 of the groove 12. In thismanner the blade is fioatingly arranged within the recess 16 at an anglerelative to the guideway groove 12 so that only one triangular corner 26of the blade extends through the passage 2? and the balance of thecutting edge of the blade is out of contact with the body 11 other thanwhere the tip of the triangular corner 26 engages the flat side Wall 13of the guideway 12.

The blade 15 has one edge ground to provide a bevel 27 on that side ofthe blade which faces the common surface 23 upon which the blade ismounted. This beveled edge 27 is at right angles with respect to the end21 of the blade and forms therewith the triangular corner 26hereinbefore mentioned. The blade 15 tends to bear down against the basesurface 13 of the guide Way 12 so that the triangular corner 26 willengage an envelope as it moves along the guideway 12. Means 28 isprovided for yieldably urging the blade 15 toward cutting positionrelative to an envelope passing through guideway 12.

The means 28 in the present disclosure consists of a spring 29 mountedWithin a second recess in the form of a bore 33 in the body block 11.The spring 2% bears against the upper edge 3% of blade 15 so as to urgethe blade toward cutting position. A bearing plug 31 is mounted on theinner end of the spring 29 and has a rounded face bearing tangentlyagainst the upper edge 3% of the blade 15 so as to minimize friction andassure constant bearing against the pivoted blade.

The upper end of spring 29 is seated in a recessed end of a screw plug34 having threaded connection to the recess or bore 33 formed in theblock ll. By this arrangement the compressive strength of the spring 29can be controlled and adjusted to bear against the blade 15 at thedesired pressure. In this manner the blade 15 has a three pointsuspension Within the body ll, namely, at the pin 24; the yieldablespring 29; and at the tip of the triangular corner engaging the fiatside surface 13 of the roove 12 or the double edge of an envelope as itpasses through the groove 12.

According to the foregoing arrangement it is contemplated that anenvelope E be inserted into the guideway 12 on that side of the bladehaving the beveled edge 27 first to engage the envelope as seen in FIGS.1 and 3 the entrance side of the guideway is designated 35. Tofacilitate admittance of the envelope E into the entrance side 35 of theguideway 12, the latter is provided with flared upper and lower edges19' and 13' respectively. These edges 19' and 13' are beveled such as toguide one edge e of an envelope funnel fashion into the base of theguideway groove 12. This guidance takes place automatically as theleading edge L of an envelope is inserted into the guideway entrance 35and the edge e of the envelope brought into parallel relation andengagement with the fiat end surface 14 of the groove 12.

As the envelope is now moved relatively with respect to the block 11 theleading edge L of the envelope first engages the pointed end 26 of theblade 15. With the spring 29 properly pressured, the blade will yieldsomewhat, i.e. swing clockwise about its pivotal mounting 2 4, so thatthe pointed end of the blade cuts into the first layer (flap f) of theenvelope.

Now as the envelope and block 11 are moved relatively advancing theenvelope past the blade, a slit S is cut into that layer of the envelopeso engaged, flap 1 in the illustration of FIG. 3.

It is important to note that the beveled edge 27 of blade 15 is sodisposed as to cooperate with the guideway 12 in tending to urge theenvelope inwardly thereof. In other words, the beveled edge 27 affords acam-like action which forces the edge e of the envelope toward the flatsurface 14 of the groove 12' to thereby automatically maintain the edgee of the envelope in parallel relation thereto.

When the envelope has thus been moved relatively with respect to theblock 11 the blade 15 will have completely scribed a slit S across theentire flap 1 (or whateverlayer is engaged by the blade) to open theenvelope.

It should be understood that although the yieldable blade can bepressured such as to effect a complete cut through both layers of paperengaged thereby such operation results in the nuisance of long strips ofsevered paper having to be removed and picked up. By the pressurearrangement afforded in the present invention the blade 15 is yieldableto cut a slit in only' one layer of an envelope to open the same. Thiseliminates any severed strips and simplifies the handling of envelopes.

While I have described my new envelope opener in specific detail it willbe appreciated that the same may be modified, altered and/or variedwithout departing from the spirit of my invention therein. I thereforedesire to avail myself of all modifications, alterations and/ orvariations of construction as may fairly come within the purview of theappended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An envelope opener comprising a block body having a guideway formedalong one straight edge thereof for receiving one edge of an envelope, arecessed chamber formed in said block having a bottom wall surface on aplane common to the base surface of said guideway, a spring urged bladepivotally mounted on the bottom wall surface of said recessed chamberand at an angle relative to said guideway for presenting one triangularcorner of said blade to said guideway, said blade having a beveled edgeon that side thereof facing said plane common to said bottom wall andbase surface of said chamber and guideway, tending to urge that edge ofan envelope engaged by said blade toward the base surface of saidguideway.

2. An envelope opener comprising a block body having a guideway alongone straight edge thereof provided with a base surface against which oneedge of an envelope to be opened can bear, a blade mounting surface insaid block body on a plane common to said base surface of said guideway,a blade pivotally mounted on said blade mounting surface and having itscutting edge disposed at an angle relative to said guideway, and springmeans between said blade and block body for yieldably urging said bladeinto said guideway for cutting a slit in an envelope guidedtherethrough, said cutting edge being beveled on that side only of saidblade exposed toward said plane which is common to said base surface ofsaid guideway for urging said one edge of an envelope to be opened intoparallel relation to said base surface of said guideway.

3. An envelope opener comprising a block body having an open guidewayformed therein providing a flat side Wall upon which one side of anenvelope can rest and a flat base against which the folded edge of suchenvelope can bear during relative movement of such envelope along saidguideway, said body having a recess chamber formed therein on that sideof said guideway opposite said flat side wall thereof, a passage formedin said block body between said recess chamber and said guideway, ablade arranged in said, recess chamber and having one triangular corneradjacent its cutting edge extending through said passage and into saidguideway for engagement with said flat side wall thereof, a mounting pinin said recess and extending through said blade for pivotally supportingsaid blade within said recess with the cutting edge of said blade out ofcontact with said block body other than where the said triangular cornerof said blade engages the fiat side wall of said guideway, and springmeans mounted within said block body yieldably engaging said blade onthat side thereof relative to said mounting pin which is above the saidtriangular corner of said blade for urging the latter into yieldingengage ment with the said flat side wall of said guideway.

4. An envelope opener comprising a block body adapted to be held in thepalm of a human hand, a guideway formed on said block for receiving andguiding one edge of an envelope therealong, said body having a recesschamber formed therein diagonally of said guideway and communicatingwith the latter, a blade arranged in said recess chamber with onetriangular corner of said blade extending into said guideway, said bladehaving an aperture substantially midway thereof, a pin extending throughthe aperture in said blade and secured to said block body for supportingsaid blade within said recess with its cutting edge out of contact withsaid block body except where the triangular corner of said blade extendsinto said guideway for engaging an envelope guided therethrough, asecond recess formed in said block body above that end of said bladewhich overlies the triangular corner thereof, and spring means seated insaid second recess pressing against said blade for yieldably urging thetriangular corner of the latter toward said guideway for cutting a slitin the said one edge of an envelope guided therethrough.

5. An envelope opener comprising a block body having a kerf-likeguideway along one straight edge thereof provided with a flat wallsurface upon which one side of an envelope can rest and a base surfaceagainst which one folded edge of an envelope to be opened can bear, ablade mounting surface in said block body on a plane common to said basesurface in said guide-way, a beveled edge blade pivotally mounted onsaid blade mounting surface, said blade having one corner of its bevelededge normally disposed in said guideway in engagement with said fiatwall surface of said guideway, and spring means within said block bodybearing against said blade whereby said blade yields to cut only onethickness of the folded edge of an envelope guided through saidguideway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITEDv STATES PATENTS1,943,193 Stephan et al. Jan. 9, 1934 2,233,497 Teigen Mar. 4, 19412,266,863 Hatch Dec. 23, 1941 2,291,294 Holste July 28, 1942 2,882,598Fidelman Apr. 21, 1959

5. AN ENVELOPE OPENER COMPRISING A BLOCK BODY HAVING A KERF-LIKEGUIDEWAY ALONG ONE STRAIGHT EDGE THEREOF PROVIDED WITH A FLAT WALLSURFACE UPON WHICH ONE SIDE OF AN ENVELOPE CAN REST AND A BASE SURFACEAGAINST WHICH ONE FOLDED EDGE OF AN ENVELOPE TO BE OPENED CAN BEAR, ABLADE MOUNTING SURFACE IN SAID BLOCK BODY ON A PLANE COMMON TO SAID BASESURFACE IN SAID GUIDEWAY, A BEVELED EDGE BLADE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAIDBLADE MOUNTING SURFACE, SAID BLADE HAVING ONE CORNER OF ITS BEVELED EDGENORMALLY DISPOSED IN SAID GUIDEWAY IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FLAT WALLSURFACE OF SAID GUIDEWAY, AND SPRING MEANS WITHIN SAID BLOCK BODYBEARING AGAINST SAID BLADE WHEREBY SAID BLADE YIELDS TO CUT ONLY ONETHICKNESS OF THE FOLDED EDGE OF AN ENVELOPE GUIDED THROUGH SAIDGUIDEWAY.